Filling the gaps in climate refugee protection

Approximately 22.5 million people have had to flee their homes due to natural disasters and climate change in 2008-2017. The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the Centre of International Law at Belo Horizonte, Brazil, invited Professor Cecilia Bailliet to teach Latin American students about the rights of these displaced persons.

Global temperatures are on the rise, causing draughts, rising sea levels and other natural disasters. Millions of people face a direct threat to their lives or livelihood. They will have to seek protection either within their countries or in other countries. How should states and other actors deal with climate and environment-related displacement?

Cecilia Bailliet presented institutional and procedural issues in the interface of human rights law, refugee law and international environmental law. She invited participants to discuss the possible design of a new mechanism to address environmentally displaced persons and/or climate change migrants. Read more about the course.